Effect of land use on soil chemical properties after 190 years of forest to agricultural land conversion

Abstract

Land use changes have a significant impact on soil properties and in some cases they are considered to be among the main threats to soil quality. The present study focuses on the relationship between soil chemistry and land use in a karstic region in Romania, where forests were converted to agricultural land 190 years ago by Czech settlers in the Banat Region. Out of several villages founded by the Czech settlers the study was done around the village of Sfinta Elena. The uniqueness of this study is that traditional agricultural practices using low intensity farming (fallow period, organic fertilizers) have been used continuously since the village was founded. Nowadays the landscape is a mosaic of different land uses. Sixty soil samples from 6 land uses, analysed for pH (active and exchangeable), total cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation, amount of Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, K<sup>+</sup>, accessible P, total N, and soil organic carbon, showed very low concentrations of analysed elements and very low values of CEC and base saturation in soils. Current arable land use exhibited the lowest values especially of soil organic C. Surprisingly, forest soils differed significantly from agricultural soils only in C/N ratio and soil organic C concentration.

Effect of Changes in Land-Use Management Practices on Soil Physicochemical Properties in Kabe Watershed, Ethiopia

“…6 Changes in land cover density and intensification of agriculture aggravate the leaching rate of soil organic matter and nutrients, 7 and an accelerated rate of land degradation. 8 The cliché is also true, for example, integrated management of arable soil is the key to deal with most complex soil properties, thereby maintaining the land cover dynamics. 9 For example, a study conducted in the karstic regions of Romania focusing on the relationship between soil chemistry and land use while forest is converted into agricultural land indicated that land-use changes have a significant impact on soil properties and in some cases they are considered to be among the main threats to soil erosion.…”

“…It has also been noted that current extensive arable land use exhibited the lowest values of soil organic carbon. 8,10 Ethiopia is part of the dynamic land-use management change where more than 90% of the country's highlands were once forested. A study conducted to assess the trend of land degradation and sustainable land management practices of Ethiopian highlands in 2010 11 indicated that the average percentage of forest cover during the year 2010 was well below 4%.…”

“…9 For example, a study conducted in the karstic regions of Romania focusing on the relationship between soil chemistry and land use while forest is converted into agricultural land indicated that land-use changes have a significant impact on soil properties and in some cases they are considered to be among the main threats to soil erosion. 8 Zajícová and Chuman 8 also highlighted that a mosaic of 6 different land uses where 60 soil samples were analyzed for cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH, accessible P, total N, base saturation, amount of Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , K + , and soil organic carbon showed very low concentrations of analyzed elements. It has also been noted that current extensive arable land use exhibited the lowest values of soil organic carbon.…”

“…It has also been noted that current extensive arable land use exhibited the lowest values of soil organic carbon. 8,10…”

Arable Land Abandonment in the Czech Villages of Romanian Banat Area and Plant Diversity in Old-Fields

“…While Heat Load Index lost in its significance (this article), the soil chemistry newly analyzed, mainly C/N ratio, appeared as the higher indicator explaining vegetation development of the old-fields. More new knowledge of the soil conditions in this carst area represents good support for this pronouncement (Zajícová et Chuman, 2019;Kučera et al, 2019).…”